About Me

I'm a stay-at-home mother of two. Despite the insanity of my life, I always find time to read...it is my outlet and my passion. I also love to cook and appreciate a good glass (or bottle) of wine. If you would like to contact me, my e-mail is rnawrot@cfl.rr.com.

Monday, September 12, 2011

To start off BBAW 2011, and to launch this year's theme, "Cultivating a Community of Blogger's and Readers", we are to highlight special bloggers in our lives. And I'd like to say this right up front...it is hard to pick favorites. There are SO MANY bloggers out there that have given me a boost, a pat on the back, encouraging advice, I could highlight 50 bloggers in this post. You know who you are! But I know you want to read everyone's posts today, so I'm going to keep this short. I am going to talk about two bloggers that have made a difference in my life.

Jill (Rhapsody in Books) - I don't know exactly when we crossed each other's paths. But once we did, we seemed to stay in each other's orbit. We read similar books, we loved similar books, we could almost finish each other's sentences. We starved ourselves together in the Game On Diet. She made me read books, I made her read books, we read them and posted them together. We exchange e-mails that resemble a live conversation...about husbands, the size of our butts, interesting Jo Nesbo youtube clips, and being on the "back nine" of life. When I went to Poland this summer and had virtually no Internet, there was angst.

But in addition to her being my friend, she is an amazing blogger. She is incredibly eclectic, and she has a great habit of not only writing reviews, but adding the history behind a book's topic. You always learn something if you hang out around Jill. Jill, thanks for being the best (blogging and otherwise) buddy a girl could have.

Heather (Raging Bibliomania) - It wasn't that long ago (maybe a year and a half ago?) that Dawn (She is Too Fond of Books) told me that there was another blogger in Orlando. Heather and I exchanged e-mails and immediately hit it off. I first met Heather in person when she joined my friend Marianne and I at the artsy fartsy theater in town to see "Girl With the Dragon Tattoo". We ultimately saw all three movies together, we attended SIBA together, and she joined my book club. We text each other when we have bookish thoughts, we blogged the UCF Book Festival together, and we will be road-tripping and rooming together to SIBA in Charleston this year. Every time I see her, she has a bag full of books to give me.

In the blogging department, Heather writes some of the most thoughtful, in-depth reviews you will find. When it comes to having a blogging mentor in your backyard, I won the lottery.

My relationship with these two ladies is the perfect example of how the book blogging community works. Do you follow either of these two wonderful ladies? If you don't, make haste (you can tell I've been watching Pride & Prejudice) and add them to your reader. You will not be sorry.

What a wonderful pair of stories! I wish that I lived closer to a few real life bloggers, so that I could go out with them regularly. I have met quite a few bloggers, but it normally involves a trek into London, which isn't that easy for me to do. I'm hoping I discover a new one just around the corner so that I can enjoy a similar relationship.

Aww. I love Jill and Heather - they're among my favourite bloggy people (as are you!), so this post really made me smile. I'm sitting here trying to work on my thesis rather than check GR, but BBAW is making me miss blogging more than ever! Oh well... the sooner I finish the sooner I can come back, right? I miss you all - have a great BBAW!

Such great picks. I follow both though I do not comment as often as I would like - same goes for your blog. Really, if there is one blogger who deserve the award for most thoughtful commenter it would be you Sandy.

You know, now I feel silly that I didn't post my own list, because if I did you would have been right on top. I am always constantly amazed at the way you rise above the frantic pace of your life, and the way EACH AND EVERYONE of your reviews makes me want to go out and buy the book. You are also one of the nicest people that I have ever had the chance to meet, and I feel honored to be able to call you my friend. Thanks for the very awesome shout-out today. The feeling is so mutual.

Heather is wonderful, though I've never met her in person! Her reviews are so carefully considered and thoughtfully written. They are a joy to read. I haven't "met" Jill yet, though, and now I think I must. Thanks for sharing two bloggers who have been so important to you. Have a great BBAW!

Great post!! I am so happy to have met Heather at the UCF bookfest, and I really need to get together with the two of you at some point. I will never rival either of your skill in writing reviews or the number of books you read. I love the appreciation for each other you express.

What a great post. I've met Jill in person and she is just as lovely and knowledgeable as she is online. I just adore her and when she met my mom, they were fast friends. Thanks for sharing about your mentors.